The present invention relates to drink preparing machines such as coffeemakers. It particularly relates to an improvement for prewarming cups to a certain controlled temperature.
Coffeemakers possessing a holder for supporting objects such as cups or other utensils (mugs, spoons, etc.) and prewarming them already exist. The main advantage, once the drink has been served by the machine, is that they reduce the heat exchange between the drink and the cup and therefore slow the rate of decrease of the temperature of the drink in the cup.
Existing machines usually use a cup holder linked to a warming device. One method is to use a simple heating resistor independent of the machine's main water-heating body. This method generates an increase in the power consumed by the machine and also necessitates a separate electric control. A second method is to at least partially warm the cup holder by using the heating body used to heat the water from which the drink is made. The two methods can also be used in combination.
However, adapting the heating body itself for the “cup-warming” function (e.g. a thermoblock or a boiler to heat the water) can create problems. One problem is that the heating body reaches very high temperatures of around 90-100° C. and therefore could cause burns in the event of contact with the cup warmer. Another problem is that the water which is passed through the heating body transmits vibrations from the water pump inside the machine (this may be a piston pump or any other component that generates vibrations). These vibrations may be transmitted to the holding plate in the event of direct contact and shake cups, drip trays or any other object placed on the machine (or even move them around), producing an annoying noise when the machine is in use. Thus, improvements in these type devices are desired.